Transformable Protective Apparatus for Mobile Device

ABSTRACT

A protective apparatus for a mobile device includes a protective layer unit, an inner support unit and a magnet unit. The protective layer unit includes an outer layer, an inner layer and a clamping strip. A mobile device is sandwiched between the clamping strip and the inner layer. The inner support unit includes a plurality of inner plates. The magnet unit includes a plurality of magnets. The protective layer unit further includes a plurality of recessed portions disposed between the inner plates. Thus, the protective layer unit is bendable at the recessed portions so that the protective layer unit is deformable freely.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a protective apparatus and, moreparticularly, to a transformable protective apparatus for a mobiledevice, such as a tablet computer, a cell phone and the like.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional protective apparatus for a mobile device comprises arectangular jacket for receiving the mobile device. After the mobiledevice is removed from the rectangular jacket, the mobile device can beplaced on and supported by a support mounted on the rectangular jacketat an inclined angle to facilitate the user operating the mobile device.However, the inclined angle of the conventional protective apparatus isfixed and cannot be adjusted according to the user's practicalrequirement, thereby causing inconvenience to the user when needing tochange the inclined angle of the mobile device.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a protectiveapparatus comprising a protective layer unit, an inner support unitmounted in the protective layer unit, and a magnet unit mounted in theprotective layer unit. The protective layer unit includes an outerlayer, an inner layer and a clamping strip. The outer layer has arectangular shape. The inner layer has a rectangular shape and has oneside face abutting one side face of the outer layer. The clamping striphas two ends secured on long edges of the other side face of the innerlayer. A mobile device is sandwiched between a middle section of theclamping strip and the inner layer. The inner support unit includes aplurality of inner plates which are parallel with the clamping strip ofthe protective layer unit and are disposed between the outer layer andthe inner layer of the protective layer unit. The inner plates of theinner support unit are equally distant from each other. The magnet unitincludes a plurality of magnets which are disposed between the outerlayer and the inner layer of the protective layer unit and arecorresponding at two ends of each of the inner plates of the innersupport unit. The protective layer unit further includes a plurality ofrecessed portions which are formed by the outer layer laminating theinner layer and are disposed between the inner plates of the innersupport unit. Thus, the protective layer unit is bendable at therecessed portions so that the protective layer unit is deformablefreely.

The protective layer unit further includes ten zones consisting of afirst zone, a second zone, a third zone, a fourth zone, a fifth zone, asixth zone, a seventh zone, an eighth zone, a ninth zone and a tenthzone. Each of the ten zones of the protective layer unit includes one ofthe inner plates disposed between the outer layer and the inner layer,and two of the magnets corresponding to two ends of the respective innerplate.

According to the primary advantage of the present invention, theprotective layer unit is adjustable and can be bent and transformedfreely to have different angles and configurations to receive, place andsupport the mobile device, thereby facilitating the user carrying andoperating the mobile device.

According to another advantage of the present invention, each of thezones of the protective layer unit includes the inner plates and themagnets so that the zones of the protective layer unit can abut eachother by the magnetically attractive actions of the magnets tofacilitate the user fixing the protective layer unit.

According to a further advantage of the present invention, the outerlayer of the protective layer unit is made of leather to achieve awaterproof purpose, and the inner layer of the protective layer unit ismade of suede to achieve a buffering or an antiskid purpose.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent after a careful reading of the detailed description withappropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a protective apparatus in accordancewith the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cross-sectional view of the protective apparatusas shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the open protective apparatus as shown in FIG.1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a closed state of theprotective apparatus as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is another cross-sectional view showing a closed state of theprotective apparatus as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the open protective apparatus for a mobiledevice.

FIG. 7 is a schematic operational view of the closed protectiveapparatus for the mobile device as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a schematic operational view of the closed protectiveapparatus for the mobile device as shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a top view of the open protective apparatus for a mobiledevice with a smaller size.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a closed state of theprotective apparatus as shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a standing state of theprotective apparatus for the mobile device.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing another standing state of theprotective apparatus for the mobile device.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing another standing state of theprotective apparatus for the mobile device.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing another standing state of theprotective apparatus for the mobile device.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing another standing state of theprotective apparatus for the mobile device.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing another standing state of theprotective apparatus for the mobile device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a protectiveapparatus in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention comprises a protective layer unit 1, an inner support unit 2mounted in the protective layer unit 1, and a magnet unit 3 mounted inthe protective layer unit 1.

The protective layer unit 1 includes an outer layer 11, an inner layer12 and a clamping strip 13. The outer layer 11 has a rectangular shapeand has the same area as that of the inner layer 12. The inner layer 12has a rectangular shape and has one side face abutting one side face ofthe outer layer 11. The clamping strip 13 has two ends secured on longedges of the other side face of the inner layer 12. In practice, amobile device 4 (see FIG. 8) is sandwiched between a middle section ofthe clamping strip 13 and the inner layer 12. Preferably, the outerlayer 11 of the protective layer unit 1 is made of leather material, andthe inner layer 12 of the protective layer unit 1 is made of suedematerial.

The inner support unit 2 includes a plurality of inner plates 21 whichare parallel with the clamping strip 13 of the protective layer unit 1and are disposed between the outer layer 11 and the inner layer 12 ofthe protective layer unit 1. The inner plates 21 of the inner supportunit 2 are equally distant from each other.

The magnet unit 3 includes a plurality of magnets 31 which are disposedbetween the outer layer 11 and the inner layer 12 of the protectivelayer unit 1 and are corresponding to two ends of each of the innerplates 21 of the inner support unit 2.

The protective layer unit 1 further includes a plurality of recessedportions 14 which are formed by the outer layer 11 laminating the innerlayer 12 and are disposed between the inner plates 21 of the innersupport unit 2. Thus, the protective layer unit 1 is bendable at therecessed portions 14 so that the protective layer unit 1 is deformableand foldable freely.

The protective layer unit 1 further includes ten zones consisting of afirst zone “A”, a second zone “B”, a third zone “C”, a fourth zone “D”,a fifth zone “E”, a sixth zone “F”, a seventh zone “G”, an eighth zone“H”, a ninth zone “I” and a tenth zone “J”. Each of the ten zones of theprotective layer unit 1 includes one of the inner plates 21 disposedbetween the outer layer 11 and the inner layer 12, and two of themagnets 31 corresponding to two ends of the respective inner plate 21.The recessed portions 14 are disposed between the ten zones of theprotective layer unit 1. Preferably, the inner plates 21 in the tenzones of the protective layer unit 1 have a width size proportion of4:4:2:2:4:5:1:1:1:1, from the first zone “A” to the tenth zone “J”.Preferably, the clamping strip 13 of the protective layer unit 1 isarranged on the sixth zone “F”.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the zones from thefirst zone “A” to the sixth zone “F” are used to cover the mobile device4 or are used for adjustment of the support angle, and the zones fromthe seventh zone “G” to the tenth zone “J” are used for adjustment of anabutting position of the mobile device 4.

In use, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 with reference to FIGS. 1-3, therecessed portion 14 between the fourth zone “D” and the fifth zone “E”is bent, so that the third zone “C” and the fourth zone “D” abut thefifth zone “E”, the second zone “B” abuts the sixth zone “F”, and thefirst zone “A” abuts the seventh zone “G” and the eighth zone “H”. Then,the recessed portion 14 between the eighth zone “H”, the ninth zone “I”is bent so that the ninth zone “I” and the tenth zone “J” abut the otherside of the first zone “A”. At this time, the magnets 31 on the abuttingzones attract each other magnetically as shown in FIG. 5 to seal theedge of the protective layer unit 1. Thus, the protective layer unit 1is folded.

Alternatively, referring to FIGS. 6-8 with reference to FIGS. 1-3, whenthe protective layer unit 1 is used to receive the mobile device 4, themobile device 4 is sandwiched between the clamping strip 13 and theinner layer 12. Then, the protective layer unit 1 is folded by theabove-mentioned steps so that the mobile device 4 is received in andprotected by the protective layer unit 1 to facilitate the user carryingthe mobile device 4.

Alternatively, referring to FIGS. 9 and 10 with reference to FIGS. 1-3,when the protective layer unit 1 is used to receive the mobile device 4with a smaller size, the mobile device 4 is also sandwiched between theclamping strip 13 and the inner layer 12. Then, the recessed portion 14between the first zone “A” and the second zone “B” is bent, so that thefirst zone “A” abuts the second zone “B”. Then, the recessed portion 14between the fourth zone “D” and the fifth zone “E” is bent, so that thefirst zone “A”, the second zone “B”, the third zone “C” and the fourthzone “D” abut one side of the mobile device 4, while the fifth zone “E”and the sixth zone “F” abut the other side of the mobile device 4. Then,the recessed portion 14 between the sixth zone “F” and the seventh zone“G” is bent, so that the seventh zone “G”, the eighth zone “H”, theninth zone “I” and the tenth zone “J” abut the second zone “B”. At thistime, the magnets 31 on the abutting zones attract each othermagnetically to seal the edge of the protective layer unit 1 so that themobile device 4 is received in and protected by the protective layerunit 1 to facilitate the user carrying the mobile device 4.

Alternatively, referring to FIG. 11 with reference to FIGS. 1-3, therecessed portion 14 between the first zone “A” and the second zone “B”is bent, and the inner layer 12 of the first zone “A” abuts the innerlayer 12 of the sixth zone “F” and the seventh zone “G” and the eighthzone “H”. The recessed portion 14 between the third zone “C” and thefourth zone “D” is bent, and the recessed portion 14 between the fifthzone “E” and the sixth zone “F” is also bent. The inner layer 12 of thethird zone “C” abuts the inner layer 12 of the fourth zone “D”. Thus,the second zone “B”, the fifth zone “E” and the sixth zone “F” form atriangular structure. In addition, the recessed portion 14 between theeighth zone “H” and the ninth zone “I” is bent, so that the outer layers11 of the ninth zone “I”, the tenth zone “J” and the first zone “A” abuteach other. Thus, the bottom of the mobile device 4 abuts the tenth zone“J”, and the back of the mobile device 4 abuts the third zone “C”, sothat the mobile device 4 is supported by the protective layer unit 1 atan inclined angle.

Alternatively, referring to FIG. 12 with reference to FIGS. 1-3, therecessed portion 14 between the first zone “A” and the second zone “B”is bent, and the outer layer 11 of the first zone “A” abuts the innerlayer 12 of the sixth zone “F”. The recessed portion 14 between thethird zone “C” and the fourth zone “D” is bent, and the recessed portion14 between the fifth zone “E” and the sixth zone “F” is also bent. Theinner layer 12 of the third zone “C” abuts the inner layer 12 of thefourth zone “D”. Thus, the second zone “B”, the fifth zone “E” and thefirst zone “A” form a triangular structure. In addition, the recessedportion 14 between the eighth zone “H” and the ninth zone “I” is bent,so that the inner layers 12 of the ninth zone “I” and the tenth zone“J”, and the seventh zone. “G” and the eighth zone “H” abut each other.Thus, the bottom of the mobile device 4 abuts the tenth zone “J”, andthe back of the mobile device 4 abuts the second zone “B” and the thirdzone “C”, so that the mobile device 4 is supported by the protectivelayer unit 1 at an inclined angle.

Alternatively, referring to FIG. 13 with reference to FIGS. 1-3, theninth zone “I” and the tenth zone “J” are expanded outward, so that theinner layers 12 of the seventh zone “G”, the eighth zone “H”, the ninthzone “I” and the tenth zone “J” form a surface to support a keyboard 5.Thus, the bottom of the mobile device 4 abuts the keyboard 5. Thekeyboard 5 has a bottom made of a magnet or a magnetically attractivemetal to magnetically attract the magnets 31 on the ten zones of theprotective layer unit 1 so that the keyboard 5 is secured on theprotective layer unit 1.

Alternatively, referring to FIG. 14 with reference to FIGS. 1-3, therecessed portion 14 between the first zone “A” and the second zone “B”is bent. Then, the recessed portion 14 between the second zone “B” andthe third zone “C” is bent, and the outer layer 11 of the second zone“B” abuts the inner layers 12 of the sixth zone “F”. The recessedportion 14 between the fourth zone “D” and the fifth zone “E” is bent,and the recessed portion 14 between the fifth zone “E” and the sixthzone “F” is also bent. Thus, the third zone “C” together with the fourthzone “D”, the fifth zone “E” and the first zone “A” form a triangularstructure. In addition, the recessed portion 14 between the ninth zone“I” and the tenth zone “J” is bent so that the inner layers 12 of theninth zone. “I” abuts the inner layers 12 of the tenth zone “J”. Thus,the bottom of the mobile device 4 abuts the tenth zone “J”, and the backof the mobile device 4 abuts the fourth zone “D”, so that the mobiledevice 4 is supported by the protective layer unit 1 at an inclinedangle.

Alternatively, the configuration of the protective apparatus as shown inFIG. 14 can be varied as follows. The recessed portion 14 between theeighth zone “H” and the ninth zone “I” is bent inward, and the recessedportion 14 between the ninth zone “I” and the tenth zone “J” is bentoutward, so that the inner layers 12 of the eighth zone “H” abuts theinner layers 12 of the ninth zone “I”, and the outer layer 11 of theninth zone “I” abuts the outer layer 11 of the tenth zone “J”. Thus, theabutting position of the back of the mobile device 4 is adjusted inwardthrough the distance of one zone, so that the inclined angle of themobile device 4 is adjusted slightly.

Alternatively, the recessed portion 14 between the eighth zone “H” andthe ninth zone “I” is bent, so that the inner layers 12 of the eighthzone “H” and the ninth zone “I”, and the seventh zone “G” and the tenthzone “J” abut each other. Thus, the abutting position of the back of themobile device 4 is adjusted inward through the distance of two zones, sothat the inclined angle of the mobile device 4 is further adjusted.

Alternatively, referring to FIG. 15 with reference to FIGS. 1-3, therecessed portion 14 between the fourth zone “D” and the fifth zone “E”is bent. Then, the inner layers 12 of the first zone “A” abuts the innerlayers 12 of the sixth zone “F”, and the inner layers 12 of the fourthzone “D” abuts the inner layers 12 of the fifth zone “E”. Thus, thesecond zone “B”, the third zone “C”, partial of the fifth zone “E” andpartial of the sixth zone “F” form a right-angle triangular structurehaving an inclined side (or the second zone “B”) directed upward. Inaddition, the recessed portion 14 between the eighth zone “H” and theninth zone “I” is bent, and the recessed portion 14 between the ninthzone “I” and the tenth zone “J” is bent, so that the inner layers 12 ofthe eighth zone “H” abuts the inner layers 12 of the ninth zone “I”, andthe outer layer 11 of the ninth zone “I” abuts the outer layer 11 of thetenth zone “J”. Thus, the bottom of the mobile device 4 abuts therecessed portion 14 between the ninth zone “I” and the tenth zone “J”,and the back of the mobile device 4 abuts the second zone “B”, so thatthe mobile device 4 is supported by the protective layer unit 1 at aninclined angle.

Alternatively, referring to FIG. 16 with reference to FIGS. 1-3, therecessed portion 14 between the seventh zone “G” and the eighth zone “H”is bent, and the inner layers 12 of the ninth zone “I” abuts the outerlayer 11 of the first zone “A”. Thus, the bottom of the mobile device 4abuts the recessed portion 14 between the ninth zone “I” and the tenthzone “J”, and the back of the mobile device 4 abuts the second zone “B”,so that the inclined angle of the mobile device 4 is slightly lifted.

Accordingly, the protective layer unit 1 is transformable and can bebent and deformed freely to have different angles and configurations toreceive, place and support the mobile device 4, thereby facilitating theuser carrying and operating the mobile device 4. In addition, each ofthe zones of the protective layer unit 1 includes the inner plates 21and the magnets 31 so that the zones of the protective layer unit 1 canabut each other by the magnetically attractive actions of the magnets 31to facilitate the user fixing the protective layer unit 1. Further, theouter layer 11 of the protective layer unit 1 is made of leather toachieve a waterproof purpose, and the inner layer 12 of the protectivelayer unit 1 is made of suede to achieve a buffering or an antiskidpurpose.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many otherpossible modifications and variations can be made without departing fromthe scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated thatthe appended claim or claims will cover such modifications andvariations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

1. A protective apparatus comprising: a protective layer unit; an innersupport unit mounted in the protective layer unit; and a magnet unitmounted in the protective layer unit; wherein: the protective layer unitincludes an outer layer, an inner layer and a clamping strip; the outerlayer has a rectangular shape; the inner layer has a rectangular shapeand has one side face abutting one side face of the outer layer; theclamping strip has two ends secured on long edges of the other side faceof the inner layer; a mobile device is sandwiched between a middlesection of the clamping strip and the inner layer; the inner supportunit includes a plurality of inner plates which are parallel with theclamping strip of the protective layer unit and are disposed between theouter layer and the inner layer of the protective layer unit; the innerplates of the inner support unit are equally distant from each other;the magnet unit includes a plurality of magnets which are disposedbetween the outer layer and the inner layer of the protective layer unitand are corresponding at two ends of each of the inner plates of theinner support unit; the protective layer unit further includes aplurality of recessed portions which are formed by the outer layerlaminating the inner layer and are disposed between the inner plates ofthe inner support unit; the protective layer unit is bendable at therecessed portions so that the protective layer unit is transformablefreely.
 2. The protective apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer layerof the protective layer unit is made of leather material.
 3. Theprotective apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner layer of theprotective layer unit is made of suede material.
 4. The protectiveapparatus of claim 1, wherein: the protective layer unit furtherincludes ten zones consisting of a first zone, a second zone, a thirdzone, a fourth zone, a fifth zone, a sixth zone, a seventh zone, aneighth zone, a ninth zone and a tenth zone; and each of the ten zones ofthe protective layer unit includes one of the inner plates disposedbetween the outer layer and the inner layer, and two of the magnetscorresponding to each other at two ends of the respective inner plate.5. The protective apparatus of claim 4, wherein the inner plates in theten zones of the protective layer unit have a width size proportion of4:4:2:2:4:5:1:1:1:1, from the first zone to the tenth zone.
 6. Theprotective apparatus of claim 4, wherein the clamping strip of theprotective layer unit is arranged on the sixth zone.
 7. The protectiveapparatus of claim 1, wherein the protective layer unit has a surface tosupport a keyboard.
 8. The protective apparatus of claim 7, wherein thekeyboard has a bottom made of a magnet or a magnetically attractivemetal to magnetically attract the magnets.